The Friends of Cam-Rock Park is a young group with lots of enthusiasm, and are committed to our beautiful Cam-Rock Park areas!

The Friends formed in response to the removal of the Rockdale Dam in 2000, which left open mudflats and changed the course of the Koshkonong Creek (still changing). The Friends are restoring habitat, both in the newly exposed areas and in parkland.

They are currently working on several projects:

• Monthly water monitoring is done on the Koshkonong Creek, which flows through all three park areas. Run-off and erosion in newly acquired areas near the creek are being studied and the Friends stand ready to assist the Parks Department in correcting those situations.
• A major prairie restoration project in Cam-Rock Park #3, for which they received an $11,000 Knowles-Nelson grant from the Wisconsin DNR, for post-dam removal restoration work. This involved the identification and removal of many invasive trees, particularly box elder and chokecherry. Several workdays have resulted in a spectacular clear view of the Koshkonong Creek from the shelter at Area #3. They have also opened up a gorgeous burr oak grove on newly acquired land along the creek.
• A new prairie area was cleared, disked, and seeded with prairie plants. Seeds were obtained by the Friends of Cam-Rock members who collected seeds in other established prairie areas within Cam-Rock Park, and from Dane County Parks.
• A new trail extension is planned that will hopefully be constructed in the spring. Also in the works is a bridge spanning Koshkonong Creek and connecting areas 1, 2 and 3. These two projects will help achieve the long-held goal of connecting the communities of Cambridge and Rockdale by trail, and make for great hiking and skiing!

The Dane County chapter of WORBA (Wisconsin Off-Road Bicycle Association), known as CORPS (Capital Off-Road Pathfinders), has a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Dane County Parks Department to construct and maintain mountain bike trails at Cam-Rock Park (and also at Badger Prairie County Park), based on the park’s master plan and and approval process. Some members of WORBA-CORP are also active members of the Friends of Cam-Rock Park and many of the habitat restoration projects done by the Friends are also done by WORBA-CORP members as part of their trail work.

The Friends of Cam-Rock look forward to helping Dane County Parks with their task of maintaining and improving natural areas, and safeguarding our environment for future generations. Call Friends President Don Nettum at 423-3793 or visit their website for information about the Friends of Cam-Rock Park and their volunteer opportunities.